A review by pomoevareads
The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Telling the stories of a young boy separated from his family during the time of Nazi controlled Germany and moved to England via the Kindertransport and many years later in the United States at the Mexico border where a young girl is detained separately from her mother and goes into the care system while their asylum is considered, The Wind Knows My Name is a special book.

I have been a reader of Isabel Allende’s since 2005/6 when I first read The House of the Spirits. I have read almost all of her books and they are all dear to me.  Much like her previous novels, Allende opens the door to parts of history (and present in this case) and creates an emotional tie to the periods.

The two timelines converge and if you don’t shed tears then what kind of monster are you. It is at once heartbreaking and heartwarming. Allende was first inspired to write this story after seeing a play about Kindertransport. From there she used some of her personal connections to a Foundation she started many years ago after losing her own daughter, Paula. This organization works to serve women and children and works with refugees along the U.S. border as well as internationally. The best reads are those that are passion projects and I hope that readers will pick up The Wind Knows My Name.

Oh and if it wasn’t obvious, I loved it!
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